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Any Old Port in a Storm
Any Old Port in a Storm is the second episode of the third season of Columbo and the nineteenth episode overall. It first aired on October 7, 1973 and was directed by Leo Penn. In addition to Peter Falk as Lieutenant Columbo, the episode stars Donald Pleasence, Julie Harris and Joyce Jillson. Summary Wine connoisseur Adrian Carsini (Donald Pleasence) runs a small winery specializing in unprofitable but prized wines. He is about to be named the wine industry's Man-of-the-Year. His half-brother, Rick (Gary Conway), only wants to spend money on various hobbies and interests like sports and fast cars and has also been married several times. When Rick gets tired of Adrian's indulgences, he announces his decision to sell the land to mass producers of cheap, profitable wines. Adrian knocks him unconscious and leaves him to die in an airtight wine cellar. He travels to New York to accept the award and attend wine auctions, at the same time establishing his alibi. Upon his return, he concocts a scuba diving accident to explain Rick's death by suffocation. Julie Harris plays Adrian's formidable secretary, who realizes that Columbo suspects Carsini of killing his brother, and has plans of her own for Carsini. Clue Final clue/twist: Columbo realizes Carsini had locked his brother in the airtight wine cellar with the air conditioning turned off, and realizes further that this happened when a heatwave had struck Los Angeles. Columbo steals a very rare bottle of wine from Carsini’s cellar, and when he treats Carsini and his secretary to dinner, arranges for the restaurant staff to serve it to them. Carsini, upon tasting the wine, explodes in anger and berates the staff for exposing it to very high temperatures. Columbo tells Carsini that reminds him of the recent heatwave. Carsini realizes that all the wine in his cellar would have been spoiled in the heatwave, so that night he sets out to destroy all the bottles. A broken Carsini is caught in the act by Columbo and confesses, expressing relief that at least he does not any more have to deal with his secretary, who had guessed the truth and was pressuring him to marry her. Cast Peter Falk as Lieutenant Columbo. Donald Pleasence as Adrian Carsini, a wine connoisseur who murders his half-brother in order to protect his winery. Julie Harris as Karen Fielding, Carsini's secretary who is not-so-secretly in love with him. Joyce Jillson as Joan Stacey, Ric's fianceé. Gary Conway as Ric Carsini, Adrian's nefarious half-brother who gets the chop when he comes between a man and his winery. Dana Elcar, Robert Ellenstein and Regis Cordic as Falcon, Stein and Lewis respectively, the other members of Adrian's wine circle. Robert Walden as Billy Fine and Reid Smith as Andy Stevens, Ric's friends. Vito Scotti as the maitre d' and Monte Landis as the wine steward of the restaraunt where Columbo and Carsini dine. Robert Donner as the drunk who bothers Columbo in the bar. John McCann as the young officer who converses with Columbo at the crime scene. Category:Episodes Category:Season 3 Category:Any Old Port in a Storm